Sound reproducing and magnifying means.



No. 814,839. P T NTBNM N. 13, 1906.'

J. L. GRAY.

, SOUND BEPRODUGING AND MAGNIFYING MEANS. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 23, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IZUHTLENQSLOSIJ I Inpgntak.

; & N Jssel. Gray, CZ /Q. M 7 F 592 Nd. 814,889. I .PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

J. L. GRAY. SOUND REPBODUGING AND'MAGNIPYINGMEANS.

APPLICATION IILED JUNE 23, 1904. V

wiinesws: '7 I. {fir/ 1122 02 7% I Jsse L, Gr y MW'q/X" 7 vention of 'a solid somid-distribUter', such as, a] dlaphragm, thereby preserving the character I JESSE L. GRAY, oF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA, AssicNoB or ONE-HALF 1 TO PERCY" F. RICE, OF SANTAANA, CALIFORNIA, ANDYWTLLIAM FAUsT, OF Los ANGELES,CALIFOBN1A..

Specification of Letters Patent.

souuo nEPhoDucmei AND 'm emF me-mEANs a A limionfiied-Jun 23,1904. Seria1No. 213,8Q8;

To all 1071 0552 it may concern.-

. --Be it known that I, JEssE 'L.-GRAY, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Santa I 1 Ana, in the county of Orange; and State of California, have invented a new and useful Sound Reproducing andMagnifying Means of which the following is a specification.

. The primary object of this invention is to provide means for'u'se in connection with a phonographic reproducer for producing im-" pulses in the'air directly corresponding to the undulat1ons in the record without the-interof the sound-waves without any, scratching, rattling, or' other extraneous noises.-

Another object'of the invention is to pro-. vide for amplification of the sound to anydesired extent and for regulation or of the intensity of the sound.

. The invention comprises, in connection a with a reproducer and means for moving a record in cooperative relation thereWith,-a

valve responsive to the movements of the reproducer and an elastic-fluid-pressure means having an outlet controlled by said valve, the

. movement of the-valve being transverse to movement of the fluid.

-- The mvention alsocomprises means for the movement of the fluid through the valve and the construction of the valve being such that there is no pressure onthe valve due either to the pressure of the fluid .or to the regulating the action of the valve andother features, as hereinafter set forth and claimed. The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

- is a diagram showing the application of my 7 I invention as a relay for tele hone's.

I and 4 the record. The means ,for rotating e 1 is a 'planof a phonographjprovide with my invention. Fi 2 is a vertical section on the line x m in ig. 1'. Fig. 3

'1 designates a partof the ame of a'phono graph onwhich the. reproducer carrierflis movably'mounted '3' designates a part of the record-carrier,

the record and for moving the reproducer over the record transversely to, the move.- -ment of the latter are not shown, as they form no part of my present invention.

. ,5 designates the reproducer, which will be of any usual form adapted tov the record and I at 7 to a weight armor lever 8,

variation I to the nlachinelbeing used The form here shown is adapted to acylindrical record and is supported by a reproducer-arm 6, pivoted oted'to the carrier 2 at 9.

which is 'piv- A chamber or'valverchest 10is formed drf on the carrier member 2', and a valve member, 1 1 works therein, cooperating with a=seat member 12 tocontrol communication from said chamber 10 to an outlet or discharge 13.v

Said valve is operated by a connection from 1 the reproducerf or egcample, by means of a pin 14, connected to the valve and bearlng against a portion of the reproducer-armf6' 3 the arrangement of the reproducer arm 6, the -'weight-arm =8",- and the pin 14 being'such that the weight-arm holds the reproducer agalnst said'portion of-the reproducer arm against .the' end of said pin, so that the said'pin and if the valve connected thereto will vibrate in correspondence with the undulations 1n the record.' The valve and pin may press on the reproducerrarm by gravity but it is desirable to provide regulable means for adjusting this" pressure. A convenient means for this pur pose consists of a lever 15, pivoted at 16 to a racket 17, attached to the carrier member 2,

said lever being provided at one end with'a spring extension 18, engaging with the pin,

The bracket 17 mayalso serve as a support for the pivot 9 ofithe weight-arm and may.

, also carry the usual roller 20 which runs on a" track 21 tohold the reproducer-carrier at the 1 99 I .proper height 22 designates a lifting-cam on said bracket 17 to engage the track 21 and hold the reproducer-carrier inelevated osi' tion when desired, will be free of the're'cord.

23 designates an abutment, which maybe.

' 17, adapted to engage 'a part or extension of the-Weight .arm or lever 8 to limit the movement thereof, so that when the carrier. memher 2 is raised, either partially by means of the I 00 cam device 22 or is thrown clear over for anyreason, the said abutment will prevent the weight-arm'from movin distance, this. distance i required in the reproducinga'ction.

c that the repro u'cer Patented March 13,1906;

7 7 ,the' record and by the same action presses the Y and said lever being en aged at its'other lend I by a set-screw 19, workingin said bracket 17,1.

formed as a set-screw working in-the bracket except-for alimited. eing, however, sufficientgto allow of the'mov'ement ofthe-parts.

. ment therein. The valve-ring 11 works or bevele aof the flu d medium on the parts of said' 24 desi nates the weight on the weightarm, whicli may be adjustable. H I

It is desirable that the valve should have a considerable linear extension of port-opening, so as to provide for a considerable variation in size of the opening with an extremely limited movement of the valve, and it is also desirable that the valve should be as light as possible, so as to respond readily and accurately to the movements of the reproducer. To this end the valve 11 may be formed as a ring working in a cylindrical bearing or guide 25 in the carrier 2 at the top of chamber 10 and havin its upper edge or lip opposing the flat lower ace of the seatmember 12, the said valve-ringbeing connected with the operating-pin 14 by aspider or connecting-arms 26. The seat 12 "extends in a plane transverse to the direction of the movementgof .the valve. The pin 14 extends through a hole in the wall or casing 10, fitting sufficiently close in said hole to substantially prevent leakage thereat, while enabling itsfree longitudinal mgvea sliding fit within the c lindrical bearin i3 5; and the upper edge of t e valve-ring is ared cooperating with or face ofthe seat mem limited to a peripheral portion of the valvering of negligible width, and the pressure valve Within the chamber and exposed to such pressure is substantially balanced as regards movement of the valve towardand .from its -seat. The valve being annular, the

pressure is also balanced in a transverse direction. The. pressure of the medium does not, therefore, resist or interfere with the movement of the valve I inresponse to the undulations of the'r'ecord.

or gas pressure, (not shown)for example, to any ordinaryrform of pump-said pipe being connected t ough a flexible-tube 29 with the "valve-chamber 10. Means maybe provided for regulating the air-pressurefor example,

- a valve 30 in the supply connection, which may also be used to cut off the air or gas supply whenever desired.

31 designates a conveyer for the soundwaves from the outlet 13, which may be con- "nected to any of the usual means, such as .a

Y that the passage of air therethrough will be horn or tube, for roperly directing the sound. In using the evice it will be understood that the valve 1 1'is so close to the valve-seat reStrictedLand the minute movements of the valve, due to theundulations in the rec- 0rd, will appreciably affect the passage of air between the valve and seat. Assuming that the record has been put in place, that the reproducer has been lowered thereonto,

and that the machinehas been set in operaoutwardly, so that its lip or part opposing the flat lowerer 12 is substantially tion, the record traveling under the reproducer will raise and lower the same and correspondingly move the valve to vary the cross-section of the port or outlet of the valve in correspondence with the undulations of fluid having been turned on at 30 will fill'the chamber 10 and will escape therefrom through the valve'in a current whose flow will vary or-undulate in accordance with the undulations in the record, thereby reproducoutlet 13 the sound which the record represents. a

By means of the adjusting device 19 the valve can be adjusted to or from its seat without disturbing the position of the re roducer but the movements of the. repro ucer are communicated to the valve b reason of the pressure of the'weight 24. gaid weight 24 serves to maintain constant pressure on the stylus and to maintain the lever 6 in contact with pin 14 irrespective of the movement of said in under the influence of the device 19. The earin of the valve-ring 11 on the seat 12 is limite substantially to a single annular line of contact, so that the normal pressure of fluid inthe valve-chamber will not tend to force the valve to its seat on the disk 12. The valve member 11 .will'be referably adjusted so as tonormally lie in c ose proximit to the seat member 12 so that the compresse air or fluid pressure medium will stream or pass between said valve under the action of the record in a diverging annular current, whose volume, uantity, or force is depend ent on the size oi the outlet between the valve and its seat. versely to the movement of the valve.

The air or medium moving through the outlet has therefore no effect of itself on the 28 designate's'an air-supply ipe or connec 't onconnected to any. suitab e sourceof air valve, and the valve in its movement does not have to overcome the momentum of the air-current, nor is it, on the other hand, accelerated by such -momentum. The movements of the valve are therefore not affected by the pressure or the movement of the air or fluid pressure medium, and thus there is no distortion or interference with the vibration of the valve in correspondence with the rec- 0rd, even at high pressure.- The s ring 18 and weight 24 serve to yieldingly hold the valve and the reproducer in proper position, while allowing their inde endent adjustment, .but enabling-the reproriilcer to operate the valve in correspondence with the record or with the sound undulations.

' Various modifications may be made in the device without departing from my invention, and the invention may also be used for V8? rious purposes1for example, by suitable laying telephone-messages,

. The intensity of sound reproduced can be regulated by properly controlling the airing in pulsations of air emitted through the,

the record. The air or gas or other elastic This outlet extends transadaptation it may be used in repeating or reconnection'for an elastic fluid and provi pressure, and clearness of sound can :be obtained by proper adjustment'of the. means for musica sound and of articulatespeech, and particularly of, the singing voice, is clear and ee from any scratching or rattling IlOlSGt i, phone repeater or relay is shown in Fig. 3,

, where 32 designates the telephone whose diaphragm 33 is-connected to ,or engages with the pin or member 14 of the'valv'e, which may 1 be of the same construction as shown in v Fig.

1 2,, thisvalve-chamber body being supported on an arm. 34', adjustable and yieldmgly supported'by spring .35 and set-screw. 36 to ena le the pressure onthe" valve and diaphragm to be regulated; 'A telephone-transmitter 37Iis located'in position to receive the ;,'the outlet. 13 of the valve and is connected to magnified 'and amplified sound emitted from I the transmitting local and line circuits 38' 39- in the usual- 'm'anner.

18 19 and pneumatic connection 28 29 may be the same-as in Fig. L What'I claim is 1'. In combination with .a phonograph re.

roducer,.an annular valve" controlled therej y to move in response tothe movements of connection for an elastic fluid, and -prov1 with a bearing within which said jannulan valve slides, and a seat for said annular valve,

.- the annular valve having a seat-opposing porvalve: 1

- 3. In combination with a phonograph-re- I producer, an annular valve controlled therey to move in response to-the movement of tion of substantially the same diameter. as the part that slides in thebearing.

y tomove in response to the movements of the reproducer, a'chamberhaving a supply ed with a bearing: within which said jannular per end-terminating in an'annular valve lipof the same'diameter asthebearing for the the reproducer, a chamber havin a sup 1y connection .for elastic fluid an provided with a bearing wherein said valve sl des, and a flat seat for'the valve extending in a plane transversely to the movement of the valve.

recordcarrier, a. reproducer, a movablev support for the reproducer operatively engaging the record-carrier, and adjustable means coni 'nected to the valve to ad'us t its positionindependently of-the repro ucer." 1

5'. In combination with a phonographic supportfor the reproducer, means to control the operating pressure of thereproducer and I .ad'ustable resilient means connected to the *The adaptation of my inventionto a telel Adjusting device 15' v valve; 2. In combinatlonwith a phonograph-re-- producer, an annular valve controlled there combination, a member movab I ancerwith sound undulatlons, a carrier mov-. 1o 5 chamber on said carrier, a valve working within said chamber and operatively con- 4. In combination, a chamber having 'a' fluid -pressure 1 supply and "outlet valve, a

.' saidfluid, being balance 'rep'roducer', a valvechamber' and a valveworklng therein, and operatively connected toe the reproducer, meansfor passing fluid through said chamber and valve, a movable va veto adjust its position independently of the position and pressure of-the re roducer.

workmgin said chamber and operatively en- I gaging the re 'roducer-carrying arm, and adjustable resi ient means 'connected to the the position of the re producer and of the pressure means. i

sure exerted thereon bythe aforesaid pres pivoted. reproducer-ca'rrier, movable bodily valve to adjust thesanie independently ofwith its attachedparts-to and from the rec I ord-carrier .to bring it intoand out of operative position, a lever pivoted'to the repro-' ducer-carrier' and having pressure means, an

arm pivoted to said lever and carrying-a reproducer, a valve-chambercarried by the reproducer carrier, ja valve workin in said chamber and operatively engaging t e repro'-' ducer-arm, a lever pivoted to t e reproducer-- carriera'nd having a resilient connection with i said valve, means for adjusting the last-named I lever and means for passing fluid. through said valve-chamber under control of said 8. In a sound-reproducing able toward and fromsaid member, a valve within said'chamber and o er sapparatus, in

m accor d,

nected' to said-memb er,;means] for passing fluid through said chamber under. control of said valve, an independent means for adj ust-' ment of the carrier and of the position of the valve, each of said adjusting means eomprising a part for ,yielding by supporting the parts adjusted thereby.

9. .In a-sound-reproducing a paratus, 1n combination, a. member movab e in accord-,

' ance With sound undulations, a carrier movable toward and from said member, a valvechamber on sald 'carr1er, a valve working nected to said-member, means for passing fluid through said chamberunder-control of said valve, the movement of thefluidbeing transverse, to the movement of the valve, an the parts 9f the valve extposed to 'ressu're by.

relatively to the direction'of movement'of the valve. i i

10. In a sound-reproducing apparatus, in

combination, a member movable in accordance with sound undulations, a carrier mov.

si' 7. In combination with arecord-carrier, a

able toward and from said member, a valvechamber on said carrier, a valve working within said chamber and operatively connected to said member, means for passing fluid through said chamber under control of said valve, the movement of the fluid being transverse to the movement of the valve, and the parts of the valve exposed to ressure by said fluid, being balanced relatively to the di- 10 reetion of movement of the valve, and means for adjusting the position of the valve independently of the position of the operating my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this 15th I 5 day of June, 1904.

JESSE L. GRAY.

In presence of ARTHUR P. KNIGHT, JULIA TOWNSEND. 

